Even If It Kills Me
by TardisWithWifi
Summary: Clove's last moments of life during the games in her POV and Cato's. Somewhat of a sequel to my other one shot titled The Unknown Lovers. Rated T just in case. Please review!


**This is my second Cato and Clove one shot. It is sort of a sequel to my previous one. But you don't have to read it to understand this one. Feel free to leave any reviews. Or PM me. I don't care. **

CLOVE

When the rock comes crashing down on my skull, I am only aware of a few things. My attacker standing above me with a vicious look in his eyes, the girl from 12 cowering by the cornucopia completely shocked by what just happened, my own voice shouting out for Cato to come, oh and of course the searing pain in my head where District 11 hit me with a rock.

I do not remember falling, maybe 11 pushed me, or hitting the ground but I know I am lying down. I can see the boy from 11 standing over the girl from 12. He still has the rock in his huge hands. I see no blood but that does not make me feel any better. He asks about the girl from his district, Rue. District 12 says they were allies and that when Rue died she sang to her. I don't pay much attention. I just shout for Cato. I pray that he will come quickly and kill these two. That would leave the boy from 12 and the girl from 5. Lover Bot is dying and the Foxfaced girl cannot fight. And of I die, I want Cato to win. He deserves it.

"Cato!" I shout again. Where is he? "CATO!" I hear his voice off in the distance, very far away.

A few seconds of silence pass. 11 and 12 just stare at each other. Just then, Cato burst through the trees. But he is moments too late. The boy from 11 has just let the girl on fire go. She runs into the forest and is gone. 11 goes to the huge field and disappears in the grass. Cato looks angry that he is too late, but it all washed away when he sees me.

He runs over to me and sits on the ground beside me. He gently cradles my head in his hands. I can hear the pulse of my heart in my my head. It only makes the pain worse. Cato brushes some hair out of my face. He speaks to me. I can see his lips move but I don't hear much of what he says. Everything is slowly fading away.

"Don't leave me," he says. For the first time ever, I see Cato cry. I don't like it one bit. "Don't leave me. I don't know what I'll do."

What he says has two clear meanings. The first one is he loves me. He made that clear the night before the games. The audience may not understand, but I certainly do. The second reason is the games have changed him. They change everyone. From the very first day, I have watched Cato. I have seen him go from carefree, excited and sometimes even sweet. To jumpy, angry and quick to act. The games have taken away most of his sanity. Mine too. Probably everyone's in fact. Except perhaps Lover Boy, he is too blinded my live anyway. Then again, I guess I am too.

I rest my hand atop Cato's. I look up into his eyes. He looks into mine as well. His eyes are red and puffy from crying. Slowly, ever so slowly he bands down and kisses my lips. Only a small peck, like on the cliff that night. But the kiss still makes my heart flutter. I smile.

He sniffles a bit. "Don't leave me," he repeats.

"I'll never be too far away," I say very quietly. Then I close my eyes and drift away. Away from the arena, the Games. Everything.

CATO

Very slowly I kiss her. Not like before though, just a small kiss this time. Just enough to bring a small smile upon her lips. It hurts me even more that she can smile in a place like this. This should not be the place where she last smiles. That should be in District 2. With me.

"Don't leave me," I say again. I cannot have her leave me. Not now. Not here. Not this way. not ever.

"I'll never be too far away," she says softly. She then closes her eyes. A few seconds pass and her cannon fires. My breathing becomes quick and ragged. I set her head down gently with my shaking hands. I walk a few steps away before collapsing to the ground. I shout at the sky. I pins the ground with fists. I sob for what seems to be an eternity. These games have taken away everything I care about. First, my sister years ago. Then, my freedom. And now, my Clove, my love. The reason I volunteered. Not to win, I never planned on winning. I only wanted to protect Clove. And I failed. The boy from 11 took her from me.

I stand up and I know what I must do. I must kill him. I must kill the one who took away my only happiness in these games. He has to die.

I quickly pack up supplies to bring with me. My sword, food and water. I head toward the grassy fields but before I enter I pause for a second and turn around. The hovercraft is just coming to retrieve Clove. I ball my right hand into a fist and put it to my chest. In District 2 this is a symbol of honor, adoration and sometimes even love. No2 everyone in Panem knows, if they didn't already, that I love Clove. And I never will stop until I breathe my final breath.

I turn around and head into the grass in search of the one who killed Clove. The one who I will kill. Even if it kills me.


End file.
